thnks fr th mmrs
by Boys Should Kiss Boys More
Summary: 10 years after Zim came to Earth, my planet was conquered. 5 years after said conquering, Zim defeated Irk and rose to be one of the 7 Intergalactic Councilors. 15 years and one week before all of this, Zim left me behind in a pile of rubble. ZaDR
1. prlg

I looked up, and I could feel the scythe wiggle with the wind and movement. The stars twinkled and disappeared with the passing cruisers and jet packs. The straps from my pants sank as I lowers my knees, my eye falling from the sky to the surface of the roof I sat on.

"Dib?" Yu asked, stepping through the red door -though it looked gray in the night- to my right. The red cloth around what would be her eyes shifted as she smiled sadly. "Til told me you would be up here."

I smiled back, and she patted my shoulder.

"You can't do this every year, Dib."

"Why not? It's relaxing."

"It's not safe for us to be outside."

"It's dark. We're in the Suburbia, no one will care."

"I care Dib. If you die we all die."

"Not true, Yu."

"Yes!"

"You'll take over."

"It wouldn't be the same. I can't lead! I'm blind-"

"Didn't stop you from escaping Irk with Til; didn't stop you from stopping me." I looked up at her as her face aimed towards me. "Did it?"

"That was different."

"How so?" She gave a frustrated sigh, kneeling wobbly next to me.

"Just come back inside Dib, we need to discuss the plans for the next movement."

"I don't wanna!" She chuckled as I accepted her hand up.

"Why do you do this?" She asked, rubbing my shoulder carefully. I glanced at her sideways with my one good eye, and smiled sadly.

"It's the day he left me."


	2. chptr 1: 27

"_Dib-love, breakfast is ready," Zim smiled. I smiled too, because Zim never smiles._

I felt my face darken as My eyes opened. I growled angrily, another short dream. I saw Til at the doorway, up the stairs, across the room from my bed. He smiled sadly, holding up a plate of waffles.

"You should probably rest down here today. We're all laying low since Jacobo got off'd." He said softly, walking carefully down the stairs, carrying the plate of waffles. Plus, your mechanics need some tune-up today. I'll come down after you've eaten and dressed and help, okay?" I nodded, patting his shoulder.

The blue-eyed Irken turned to walk away, but I grasped his wrist. "It's okay to cry, Tilly." He didn't look at me.

"We aren't supposed to cry."

"Says who?"

"Says Jacobo!" His voice was wavering. I pulled on his arm, making his step closer to me. "He.. He always said it was a point of weakness!" I shook my head.

"But you're not Jacobo. You're Til. You can cry." And suddenly, that's what he did. He collapsed onto the bed, crying and sobbing loudly. I ran my fingers along his lekku, rubbing his back as well.

"He was only a kid! We were supposed to live happily ever after!" I couldn't speak, for fear of saying the wrong thing, so instead I just held him as he cried against me. "Jaco.. Bo.."

-

Tilly smiled sadly as he dumped the cold waffles into the garbage. "Are you going to be alright?" I asked tentatively, patting his shoulder.

"He looked up at me, and one of his down faced lekku twitched. "Yeah." I smiled back, and turned to go back into my room. "Wait! Dib! I need to check on your mechanics!" I grumbled, hoping that just maybe he had forgotten. "C'mon, silly." I followed he short Irken obediently.

Finally, we came to our 'second basement' and Til opened the door, allowing me to go first. I trudged down the steps with Til close behind. Sliding onto the cold table, I laid back.

"Why do we do this?"

"Because you're still human, and having all this mechanics in you isn't good for your species. I have to make sure nothing will kill you." I smiled at the annoyance in Til's tone. I made him explain it every time we did this. He shook his head, and strapped my arms and legs down.

"Laser, or should I just check the basics?"

"Basics," I said immediately. The sooner I got this over with, the sooner I could go back to tracking Zi-

"Why do you practically stalk him?" Til asked suddenly, turning back to me with a small scalpel.

"Because he's the enemy. He needs to be kept a watch on."

"You still love him don't you-"

"You still love Jacobo!" I snapped, flinching as the scalpel was pressed particularly hard into my inner arm,. "Til.. I.. That was uncalled for."

"Til! Kon wants lunch. I'll take care of the examination today." Yu said suddenly. She walked down the stairs with ease, and accepted the redding scalpel from the blue-eyed Irken. S soon as Til was gone, I brace myself for the onslaught of bitching.

"Yu, I-"

"I don't want to hear it! You know he'd broken-hearted about Jacobo! I'm debating leaving him here with Aiko!" I glared at her.

"You know we can't do that, he's crucial to the plan!" She glared at me as she cut into my arm again, peeling back the genetic skin to reveal the bits of my mechanical arm.

"What plan? We don't really have one!"

"I have one, I need your help to work out the kinks before we show it to Til and Kon." She sighed heavily, her lekku twitching as she ran the scanner over my arm.

"Everything is fine.. Should II check your eye?" I shrugged, and shivered as her abnormally cold fingers tapped the skin around my cyborg eye. I shivered as the metal clicked, the noise echoing in my head, before cool air followed.

"God, I hate this." Yu laughed, running the scanner over me again. The metal, red eye closed with a dull whoosh of air, before sealing again. "Is it over?" I asked, wriggling my arms in the restraints weakly.

"Yes." The restraints slid off, slinking back into the table. I moved to sit up, but a three-clawed hand held me down. "You need to be careful with Til. He just lost the person he was pretty sure was the love of his life." I nodded.

"I know what he's going through." Yu stiffened.

"I forgot.. You really do." I couldn't tell if she felt guilty for scolding me, but she didn't say anything else. I followed her up the stairs, finally heading back to my room, in desperate need of a shirt.


	3. chptr 2: 1 Dy Rbts Wll Cry

I looked at my comrades around me. Yu bringing in plates, Til following close behind, in an apron with a bowl of stew. And Kon sulking to my left, staring at the cracks in the wooden table and cutting more lines with his solitary knife.

"Dinner is served!" Yu and Til announced happily in unison. I opened my mouth to thank Til, since he was the only one of any of us who could cook, but he turned away from me sharply, leaving it to self-serve.

He sat at the far end of the table, close enough to where he could hear, but avoid me. I glared at the wall, before standing and leaning over the table, ignoring the steam floating up from my bowl to fog my mech eye. "Alright, as you all know, we need to leave soon."

No one objected, eating as they listened.

"We're going to thank Aiko, first of all, for letting us stay here in the Suburbia." Aiko was passing as I spoke, and her brown hair bounced as she smiled and nodded. I returned the smile and continued explaining. "Then-"

"Why exactly are we leaving?" Til asked suddenly, before taking a bite of food.

"We can't stay in one place for too long, and we've been here for almost a month now. We'll come back in a few months. Or maybe, once the missions over." I said carefully, avoiding his glare. "Why do you ask, Til?"

"We should give Jacobo a proper burial before we leave." I noted Yu's sharp gasp, but smiled.

"I think that can be arranged. Til looked up, eyes wide in surprise. "We can do it tonight, I'll start digging the grave after I finish explaining." The corners of his lips turned up in the smallest smile.

"Th-thank you.." I nodded, before returning to my business-like mode.

"Once we say our good-byes, we're going to take 2 separate cruisers. Yu and Til in one, Kon and I In the other. We are going to go to one of the moon near Irk; It's fairly stationary, and is only able to be spotted by people in the now deserted half of Irk." Yu nodded, as the three of them pushed their empty bowls to the center of the table.

"Do we have someone waiting there to aid us?" Kon asked sharply, his bright blue hair falling over his brown eyes. I nodded,

"Well, not necessarily someone, but arrangements have been made." I said sternly, leaving no room for question. "Once we're there, we will be closer to Zim, and the other Intergalactics. We'll be able to spy better, since I know Zim still keeps heavy tabs on his old home." Yu stood as my voice trailed off.

"When exactly are we leaving?"

"Early tomorrow morning. We'll have to keep our departure on the down low, otherwise Officers will show p." Til, Kon and Yu all nodded knowingly, before beginning to clear the table. I smiled at the three of them before slipping out f the dining room, to the back door. Stepping outside, I shivered. It wasn't as late as I was usually out. The red sun was just about to dip into the horizon, cruisers flying into and from it and across my head

I rolled back the baggy sleeve of my bluish-gray sweater, and groaned as the mechanics worked their way out of my arm.. The laser chimed as soon as it was up to the minimal full power. I pointed at the ground, and aimed for a single spot before moving in a square. Jacob and I were te same height, so it was easy to dig the grave.

"Til, did you guys already finish?" I asked, hearing the sound of crunching leaves.

"Yeah.. Yu let me come out here a little early."

"I'm sorry about what I said, the other day."

"It's okay.. I was out of line-"

"No you weren't. I was a bastard. You were just being curious."

"Curiosity killed the karakal." I laughed as the laser finished. Til stepped forward, his lekku twitching as the block of unneeded Earth was lifted, and set to the side. "Kon is bringing Jacobo out." I nodded as Til began to work on breaking down the block of dirt and grass and roots.

"Comin' through!" Kon suddenly shouted, carrying the home-made casket on his shoulders, Yu helping too. Kon had improved on his wood-work, to an extent; the casket looked nice, and finished, with a rose carved onto the top. Carefully, the two of them lowers the casket quickly into the hole. It fit perfectly, showing that the casket itself wasn't much bigger than Jacobo.

Til mentally lifted the dirt, smoothing it into and over the hole. His eyes immediately began to water as he stopped focusing on the dirt and on the actual fact of losing someone. Instead of rushing at Yu, who stood staring solemnly at the ground. He ran to me, locking onto my arm and sobbing. I turned, accepting him in a hug until he quieted down. He finally pulled away, his arms still attached to mine, though.

"Jacobo.. Rest in peace," I said softly and simply. Til nodded, wiping his eyes. Yu's headband around her eyes seemed to droop as Kon look sternly at the ground, willing it to suck up the melancholy sadness immediately.

Needless to say, such a thing didn't happen.

Yu kneeled down to smooth out the dirt a little more, and as she stood, the grass began to overtake the grave. I mumbled about stupid space chemicals, but still the grass grew, and soon, Yu hurried to put a stone as a marker. The grass by itself grew to the edges of the large rock, bolting it down. I raised the laser again, and carved from afar:

_Jacobo. Another victim of The Intergalactica. Rest in Peace._

Til's eyes overflowed again, and he turned, running inside. I watched him go, Yu rushed after him, calling out for him.

Kon mumbled something, orb ably rude and incoherent, before strolling back inside. As soon as the back door snapped shut, I felt the rain pelt my face.

My hair stuck to my face and metal, my shirt stuck to my skin, and I blinked until my eyes started to hurt.

I could taste the salt on my cheeks, but it mixed with the rain, so I didn't care.

I knelt down, the ground dirtying my knee.

I ran my fingertips over the grass.

_Zim…_


	4. chptr 3: Brk Yr Lttl Hrt

"_Zim, what're you saying?" I asked shakily. His green skin hidden beneath an umbrella as the rain poured._

"_I think you understand perfectly well what I am saying, Dib-monkey," the red-eyed Irken spat, taking a step away from me. I reached out, legs wobbling and unable to go further. "I know very well what you and your little resistance group are planning," he continued. "I am merely making the first move."_

"_But, Zim! You're supposed to help us! We need to defeat Irk and get a human on the Intergalactic Council! You were agreeing with me last week!" Zim stared emotionlessly back at me, his shoulders already hunched in movement to turn away. "Zim. Don't do this."_

"_It's too late. Tak will be arriving with a team of special invaders and trained combatants. They will follow through my instructions, and your puny, pathetic planet will fall to its knees before Zim." He said with a devilish, but no longer handsome, smirk._

"_But.. Zim… We. We were going to-"_

"_I played you, Dib-monkey. Can you not see that?" I bit my lip simply to keep it from quivering. "Irkens cannot love."_

"_But, you're no ordinary Irken!" I snapped, my fists trembling like the rest of me. Zim smiled, almost looking like he wanted to reconcile, until he turned sharply on his booted heel._

"_No. I'm an extraordinary Irken." He shot back, walking away with a small skip, dodging the tilted rain._

_I fell to my knees, the water invisible on my black pants._

_And I cried._

-

"Dib..? Dib!" I shot up in my chair, looking around wildly.

"What!? What's going on!?" Til chuckled, still facing his navigating screen. Yu shook her head, sitting next to me, arms and legs crossed.

It was Kon who had awakened me. He had turned from the steering controls to look at me, and yell.

Loudly.

"Nothing. You were sleeping, and the little whining noises about Gala-Zim were irritating me." I looked away in a huff, refusing to dignify that statement with a comeback.

Suddenly I looked back at Kon, only able to see his particularly high spikes of his electric blue hair. I could see his elbow: the one of his black and green arm. The Irken claws disconcerted me, but not as much as the tattoos he refused to tell us about.

They were tribal looking, but obviously something's were written in Irken., some things in English and some things written in something completely foreign.

Kon was part Irken, and part human.

I never really understood where his loyalty lied.

"Dib, we're approaching the Irken moon." Kon said, his tone monotone when he was focused. I nodded, resting my chin in my hand. Yu patted my shoulder and I jumped. She smiled, turning away. I shook my head, bewildered, until I saw the moon.

It was pink, small, and the crevices and craters seemed to ooze green.

I could almost feel Kon's stomach lurch at being so close to his second home.

-

"Chaos?" I called out, setting my bag by the doorframe as the mechanical door shut behind the 4 of us. I heard dull tapping from a room down the hall. I motioned for the others to follow as I approached the rusted-looking entry-way. I knocked tentatively.

"Come in, Dib." Her voice echoed even as her gaze was fixated elsewhere. I smiled, and pushed the door open. I felt Kon stiffen beside me, relaxed only when Til patted his shoulder and brushed past, slipping further into the room. I smiled, following the blue-eyed Irken's example.

Chaos swiveled in her chair, a pencil in her claws and her hat lopsided. I chuckled lightly.

"I thought you usually drew on the computer?" I asked, leaning against a cabinet near an unnecessary window.

"I do! But Nynja took it!" She snapped, motioning to the pads and pencils before her. "She hasn't been downstairs in a few hours." Til perked up.

"I'll go check on her!" He rushed out of the room before anyone could object. I smiled sadly as he went, but didn't object, even if I could.

"How's he doing?" Chaos asked, hushed and hurriedly. I looked to Yu, who I knew stayed up the past few nights consoling him. She sighed.

"He's better. But I think he's on edge that one of us will drop dead at any moment." I flinched as Kon tried to distract himself by leaving the room.

"Jacobo was a good man," Chaos said slowly. "It's a shame Intergalactics got to him." I nodded. 'What… What exactly happened?" I sighed, and headed for the closet, immediately finding a chair near the front. I pulled it out, sitting behind Chaos as she began sketching again.

"He said he needed to go on a specific mission, outside Suburbia. I told him he couldn't, but he was adamant about it." Chaos nodded, still not looking at me. I swallowed the thickness of my words and began to hurriedly tell the story. "He left, saying it was a plan to get information on the Intergalactics, and then he was gone." Chaos flinched as I stopped. My throat closed up suddenly.

"It was all over the news as soon as they caught him, "Resistance Combatant Captured, to be put to torture as soon as possible." Yu shook her head bitterly. "They tried to torture our where-abouts out of him, but J was a fighter." I smiled.

"Yeah."

"So they tortured him to death?"

"Yeah. With electricity. It didn't really leave any visible traces on his body. The body was shown on the news, put in a morgue to be claimed by midnight. We sent Aiko and she claimed he was her brother, not some mercenary. They believed her, or at least acted like it."

Chaos shook her head sadly, still scribbling away. As soon as the silence had claimed the room, a body crashed against the closed door.

"Til! No! I need it!" I could hear Til laughing, and mocking Nynja.

"Too bad! Chaos needs it back!" Yu smiled and walked calmly over to the door, stepping clearly out of the way before opening it.

The two Irkens came crashing into a pile inside; Chaos's drawing tablet being waved above Nynja's head as the female Irken tried to reach over Til to get it. Yu smiled again, grasping the tablet from Til and tossing it swiftly to Chaos.

With a swish of an orange jacket, she grabbed it, setting it on the table and smirking at Nynja. The purple eyed Irken pouted but shrugged.

"Hi Dib! Yu!" We each nodded as Nynja bounced up and stood, bending over to help Til up. The blue-eyed Irken bounced as he regained his footing as well before looking back out the door, his mouth slack and parted slightly, poised to ask-

"Where's Kon?" I shrugged, but Yu answered better.

"He left once we started talking about Jacobo." Til stiffened, but shrugged it off. "You should go check on him, Tilly." He stuck his tongue out at Yu before turning and skipping out the door.

"So, how have you been Nynja?" Yu asked, the two girls walking and standing by the window. I turned back to Chaos, opening my mouth to ask her something, but was interrupted.

"No! Wait! Kon!" it was Til and I stood as Chaos dropped her pencil. Yu raised her head and Nynja looked around worriedly. I darted out of the room, ignoring the footsteps following me. Til's yelling continued and the fear and anxiety grew. "Kon! Please don't!"

We came to the front door, bursting out in time to see one of the 3 Cruisers outside the house take off into deep space. Til stood, the dust heavy around him as he stared up with an open mouth.

"Kon. He left..."


	5. chptr 4: Cffs Fr Clsrs

_I glared at him as he fixated his stare at the front of the room. I could barely hear my own breathing over the screeching "speech" of Ms. Bitters. Her shadowy figure stayed rooted to the spot while the rest of her moved, glaring from child to child and barking out names that I didn't pay attention to._

"_Dib!" I looked at her suddenly, my eyes widening as I caught my classmates' snickers from about the room. Her lips curled into what I could only call a _smile_, and barely that. It scared me more that while she stared, she didn't say a word. I opened my mouth to question when Zim gave an uncharacteristic groan._

"_Urgh.." I eyed him, one eye wide the other slipping half shut._

"_Dib, now!" I looked at her in confusion, but with another groan from Zim. I simply ran, grabbed his wrist and tugged him out of the room._

"_Took you long enough to catch.." He stopped to pant, even at our slower-than-average walking pace, "took you long enough to catch on, Dib-human." I glared at him, sticking my tongue out at him. He copied my actions, and I almost stopped walking to hit him. But, before I could even move my hand from his wrist, he lurched forward, his arms curling around his stomach as he gave another unceremonious groan._

"_Z-Zim?" Slowly my mouth fell closed as he looked up at me weakly._

"_Dib-human, you need to take me to my base." I nodded, albeit confusedly, but nodded none the less. I Grabbed his shoulder and slowly steered him down the hallway to the wide doors._

_I think that was the day where it really began._

-

I opened my eyes immediately and looked from left to right before sighing. The material of the couch was rubbing against my back as I stretched.

It was dark, meaning I was up way earlier than I should've been, so I didn't move from under the covers.

_Stupid memories. Just go away.._

_Now I remembered why I don't sleep all that often._


	6. chptr 5: Th Tk Vr Th Brks Vr

"_Z-Zim?" I asked tentatively as the Irken broke from my grasp, only to collapse again at my feet. "Zim, just let me help you!" He glared at me, but weakly accepted my hand. I lifted his arm over my shoulders and drug him to the couch. I couldn't see or hear GIR, which honestly worried me, but Zim's voice broke me out of my thoughts-_

"_You can leave now, Dib-filth!" He snapped and I resisted the urge to hit him again._

"_As much as I _hate_ to say this, I think you need help."_

"_Well your head is abnormally large!" I almost laughed, biting my tongue._

"_Good one, Zim. Now let me help you." I said with a stern glare. He shook his head again. "Gah! You stubborn bastard!" He glared with a smirk, knowing he had got to me. "Fine! Die here for all I care!" I snapped._

_I turned for the door when a meek whimper caught my ears._

"_Don't go." I stopped in my tracks, looking back at Zim. "Please.. Help me.."_

"_Okay.."_

_-_

"_Wake up Dib-monkey! GIR has made you filth-human a fitting breakfast!" My eyes opened slowly and my back ached from the stiffness of Zim's couch. However, I was wide awake as I came face to face with a bare Irken stomach. "Oh Dib-monkey, just get up you useless lump of water!"_

_I glared at him, sitting up slowly. "Why're you shirtless?" Zim raised his nonexistent eyebrows at me, rubbing his head slowly._

"_Are you broken in the head, Dib-monkey? You said to be shirtless so you could examine me." I stopped following him to the kitchen._

"_I WHAT!?" Zim looked away from me with an irritated sigh._

"_As almighty as I am, ZIM was having horrid squeedly spooch pains and Dib offered to help." I nodded slowly, my memory hazily returning. "And then the Dib-monkey told ZIM to remove his shirt and Dib-monkey, like the pitiful weakling you are, _fainted_." I glared at him._

"_You're lying-!" Zim smirked._

"_Computer!"_

"_Yes…?" The same old, bored voice erupted from all sides of the house._

"_Access House Video, Camera Living Room, yesterday at about 4 o'clock." I shook my head slowly, but soon a large screen fell in front of the already abnormal television._

_The black and white video slowly played, no dialogue was audible but I could follow the two of us pretty easily._

"_See, Dib-monkey, right here." And on cue, I saw myself slumped to the ground in front of the confused Zim._

"_Whatever," I muttered, turning back towards the door._

"_Eh!? Dib-monkey? Are you not going to check up on ZIM?" I looked back at him._

"_You seem fine today-" I had barely finished before Zim kneeled over automatically, clutching his stomach and groaning. "Nice try Zim, I'm leaving." He made a distressed noise with a pout._

"_You can still stay." His voice was softer than I expected. I looked back at him yet again._

"_Why? So you can try and kill me?"_

"_I could've done that when you were passed out, Dib-human, but did I?"_

"_No.." I answered slowly._

"_See? Zim has no intent to kill."_

"_Right, and I'm supposed to believe the crazed extraterrestrial, who has already tried _numerous _times to kill me?"_

"_Of course!" He said, as if it were obvious. I laughed loudly, putting a hand on my hip and staring at Zim, one eyebrow raised._

"_Not the most convincing argument, Zim." The Irken mirrored my smile with a shrug._

"_It's working, no?" I walked past him into the kitchen._

"_I suppose." He gave a small cackle of victory, before joining me._

_-_

"_Will this hurt, Dib-human?"_

"_It shouldn't.. It'll be cold though."_

"_Ah. Are you sure I want that on my stomach?"_

"_There's no other way to do it, Zim."_

"_Very well, carry on."_

"…"

"_Sweet Almighty Tallest, why is it so cold?!"_

"_I warned you!"_

"_Eh? What is the Dib-monkey doing with that.. _Thing!_?"_

"_I thought we agreed you weren't going to call me a monkey anymore?"_

"_Right.. Zim is sorry."_

"_No you're not."_

"_True." I rolled my eyes, and continued to smear the bluish jelly over Zim's flat stomach. "What is this again? Why do Earth women use it?"_

"_To see in their stomach, usually to check on a baby."_

"_You think the ALMIGHTY Zim.. Is pregnant?"_

"_No!" I felt my face flushed. "No! I just think it's the easiest way to look." Zim shrugged, laying back on the table and finally relaxing._

"_Just hurry up, it's cold and sticky." I mumbled something, snappish and rude, but Zim didn't seem to hear._

_That, or he didn't care._

_And either was fine with me._

"_Wait, can male Irkens get pregnant?"_

"_Or course! Can't humans?"_

"_No! Only girls can!"_

"_Ah. Another flaw in the human species- ouch!" I punched his shoulder as he slowly shook his head in mock sorrow. "Zim was just making a point."_

"_Well, your point is stupid."_

"_Nuh-uh!"_

"_Yeah-huh!"_

"_Nuh-uh!" Zim drew out his 'uh', just to annoy me. I flicked his forehead and he glared._

"_Just stop wiggling, Zim." The Irken pouted, but I saw him smile, too._

_I watched the large screen as Zim rested his head down, staring at the wires above._

_Finally, I took pushing the monitoring away and began to wipe off Zim's stomach. He twitched slightly, but otherwise stayed still._

_Once his stomach was clean. I patted it softly; immediately, Zim looked up at me wildly._

"_Eh, Zim?"_

"_Dib-monkey patted my squeedly spooch!"_

"_I.. I was just making sure I got all the gook off."_

"_Zim knows the monkey is lying Dib!"_

"_I told you not to call me a monkey anymore!"_

"_Right, sorry." I growled, and reached for my coat. "Dib!"_

"_What is it now, Zim?" I groaned._

"_Why do you wear that coat? You look perfectly fine without it." I still didn't face him, my face heating up._

"_I like it!"_

"_Meh, you look fine now." I set down my jacket._

"_Are you trying to make small talk, Zim?" I asked laughing. He smiled small._

"_Perhaps. Am I succeeding?"_

"_Only kinda."_

"_Perhaps Dib-human could help Zim?"_

"_So you can actually succeed in conquering Earth?"_

"_Maybe. But that's not completely likely." I laughed._

"_Sure, why not?"_

_Zim started to laugh, but stopped short. "Eh?"_

"_This planet doesn't have a lot going for it."_

"_Yes, but is it not your home?"_

"_Oh yeah, cuz everyone here is just so nice to me._

_He laughed sadly. "Perhaps we could take over the world?"_

"_Together?"_

"_Irk has given up on me, Dib-human. I have no others to team up with." I bit my tongue to keep from retorting. "I know what you want to say, just say it, Dib-human."_

_I paused, but sighed as I spoke, "About time." Zim nodded, chin in hand with a small smile._

"_Figures." I chuckled nervously. "Still, will Dib accept my offer?"_

"_Why not?" I said, accepting his open hand. I yelped as he pulled me forward, leaving me to support myself on one hand against the examining table. He face was dangerously close to mine._

"_How is it you Earthlings make it official?"_

"_Ju-just a handshake is fine!" Zim frowned._

"_But we are about to spend a very long time together." I tried to pull away but Zim was holding tightly. "Isn't that significant?" He looked at me, head cocked to one side, with a curious and intense stare._

"_You make it sound like we're together! In a relationship!" Zim looked at me, one eye half closed._

"_Are we not in a partnership?"_

"_They're different!"_

"_Not really."_

"_Yes really!" Zim shrugged, keeping me close._

"_Is Dib offended by Zim's courteous offer of a relationship?"_

"_We-well.. No. I mean, yes! I mean.." My head began to spin as I struggled for an answer. Zim smirked, letting go of my hand and gently pushing me away._

"_Think on it."_


	7. chptr 6: Fr Sr Myb

"_**You do realize I still don't totally trust you, right Zim?" The Irken seemed caught between a grimace and a nod. Then he smiled sadly at me, setting down the tech he had been working on."You have every reason to be distrusting, Dib." I nodded woodenly, before slipping the mask over my face again and returning to the mechanics of a jet pack I was working on before I had commented. "Still, I do hope that will change in time to come."**_

_**I felt strained, mentally and emotionally. Zim had become less insistent on practically everything since he had 'confessed' to me that he obviously wouldn't mind something more than a business relationship.**_

_**I felt bad for practically rejecting him, but at the same time, I almost felt like I accepted it. I had moved out, I was living with Zim, even though I still had to sleep on the couch and we had practically stopped going to school aside from taco day.**_

_**That's when we had to shove GIR in our bags and bring him to lunch, just to keep him happy.**_

_**I saw of out the corner of my eye that Zim had set down his tools and was stretching slowly. "Dinner time, Dib?" I nodded, carefully turning off the mechanical tools (ones that were spewing fire, I might add) before finally tearing the protective mask off my face.**_

_**Zim smiled as I walked a few steps behind him into the elevator.**_

_**GIR had timed it perfectly, setting down his fresh dinner. I smiled, thankful that the chip I had installed actually worked. We didn't have to worry about bacon in our pancakes or soap in our coffee anymore**_

_**.**_

_**GIR bounded off to the living room shortly after serving, clicking on the television easily, relaxing into the couch.**_

"_**Dib, I do not want my other half of the offer to make you uncomfortable." I chewed silently.**_

_**It had been a week and a half since we started working together and he was just bringing it up now!**_

"_**Dib, please say something." That brought me out of my jumbled thoughts as I stared as his downcast gaze. I finally swallowed the mush in my mouth and gulped for air nervously.**_

"_**Do you really like me so much, Zim?" Zim gave me the smallest, saddest of smiles I had seen, but didn't quite look at me.**_

"_**Yes, Dib."**_

"_**Why? I'm really not that attractive. I'm scrawny and pale and nerdy."**_

"_**But you're also intelligent, witty, and drop-dead-gorgeous to me." I blushed and tried to think of other ways to veer off his attraction.**_

"_**I have glasses-!"**_

"_**Irken technology can easily fix bad eyesight, Dib. Have you ever seen an alien with glasses?" I shook my head slowly and Zim smirked to show off his victory.**_

"_**But I'm irritating! I've tried to kill you!" Zim sighed at my continued attempts.**_

"_**I do believe we've gone over this, Dib-human. We have **_**both**_** tried to kill each other and we have **_**both**_** decided that it shall be put behind us!" I wanted to glare at him but couldn't muster up the courage. "You do not, by any means, have to accept my offer of something more. We can remain strictly business if you wish." I eyed the alien suspiciously.**_

"_**And how do I know you wouldn't rape me, or attack me out of lust-driven fury?" Zim almost looked ready to laugh.**_

"_**I am not that heartless, Dib, nor do I plan on killing you."**_

"_**You are much too valuable." I choked on my next bite of spaghetti.**_

"_**What?"**_

"_**As I said, even if you do not wish to accept my offer, I will undoubtedly still **_**like **_**you, Dib. Thusly, you are important to me." I blushed, looking away to avoid his all-knowing smirk. The smirk sifted into a smile and he resumed eating. I did too, but at a much slower pace, keeping my eye on Zim, who was keeping his eye on GIR.**_

_**I stared at my food, the mashed and half-eaten pancakes making an odd shape on my plate. "I'm done eating.. I think I'll go work in the lab," I said quietly.**_

_**Zim looked up, mid-bite, and I could tell he wanted to offer to go with, or enlarge my stomach so I could eat more, or even just to say **_**something**_**. But I was back in the elevator before any of that could happen.**_

_**-**_

"_**Dib? It's late. You must be tired, for a human." I shivered at the sound of Zim's voice in the dark. "Have you just been sitting here?" He chuckled lightly. "How pathetic, I though you were making progress." I ground my teeth and glared at his shadowy figure.**_

"_**Whatever, Zim. Just shut up." I immediately felt his change in posture -deflated, shoulders slumped- and his sigh caught in the cold lab air.**_

"_**Why does Dib still resist me?" I looked at him, wide-eyed. "Not in any sort of sexual way." I raised an eyebrow, leaning forward in the chair. "Dib still refused Zim's offering of friendship." I bit my lip, unseen. "If that is what Dib wants, we can be nothing more than business partners."**_

"_**No, Zim, I-" the words rushed at me from a thousand different directions; I shook my head slowly. "It's not that I don't want to be.. Friends." I spoke slowly, sorting out my speech. "So far, that has got to be one of the best things that has happened to me.." Zim smiled. "But…"**_

"_**Dib is unsure of Zim and his offers?" I shook my head as he spoke.**_

"_**I.. I think I'm unsure of how I feel about you." Zim was obviously caught off guard. He even seemed to stumble and stared at me in shock.**_

"_**Feel.. For Zim?" I almost laughed, if the moment hadn't called for other action.**_

"_**Yeah, duh, Zim." He smiled, a clawed hand coming up to gently stroke my cheek.**_

"_**Will Dib at least give it a chance?" I looked away, his hand following and resting on my cheek. "Don't be nervous, Dib."**_

"_**It's hard not to be," I joked, thankful for even the slightest breath of calm air.**_

_**Zim retracted his hand slowly. "You're still unsure." I looked away again, raging a war in my mind. "Zim can wait," he smiled still, almost sadly, and turned away, walking back to the elevator.**_

"_**Zim!" He stopped walking. "I.. I do like you, but.." I searched for any phrase or word to justify my thinking. "Isn't this going a little fast?" Okay, corny, but maybe-**_

"_**There is no such thing as 'too fast', Dib, there is only too slow." He turned to smirk at me. "And Zim does not have the longest patience." I felt my lips twitch, and even in the complete darkness, I knew Zim caught it.**_

_**He walked back, half-hurriedly, half calm and smoothly, over to me, and again cupped my face.**_

"_**You make me very happy, Dib-love." I blushed, trembling at his touch. "But, dare I ask, is the Dib a… **_**virgin**_**?" I glared at him, barely gathering the strength to lift my arm and push on his chest. "Ah, ah, ah," he chided. "Just relax."**_

_**I felt like I was going to tense up, but as soon as his grip shifted from my face to my shoulders, I melted into him. I pulled him closer into my lap, and I could feel his hot, candy-sweet breath mingling with mine.**_

"_**Dib, kiss me."**_

_**-**_

**My eyes opened immediately. I sat up hurriedly, and began half-heartedly trying to stifle the growing hit at my midsection. 'Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!" I hissed angrily, the couch creaking near silently as I shifted to a less open position. I was breathing heavy and I could feel the sheets sticking to my sweaty back and, frankly, my 'little friend' wasn't helping matters.**

**At all.**


	8. chptr 7: Fr Sr Nt

_I couldn't even look at Zim the next day. He seemed to understand, even if he kept touching my arm or staring at me more than any normal 'friend' would._

_And every time I thought about that, I remember we had sort of became more than friends. But not quite… lovers._

_-_

"We need to think of a plan. Kon is gone, Jacobo too. I can guarantee that the Gala Rebels will be moving in soon... It's almost the Grand Trial time of year." I nodded hazily at Chaos, even though I was slumped in a recliner, not really paying attention.

"I think we should work on healing Til." I glanced at Yu.

It was just the three of us in Chaos' study; Nynja had promised to look after Til while the 'adults' talked.

"He.. He's handling it well. Better than I could've handled it at his age." Yu smiled sadly, so I continued. "We should multi-task, we can't focus on one sole thing or too many things."

"Right, so…"

-

"_Good morning, Dib," I dodged the just barely on-coming morning kiss. I smiled sadly at Zim, apologetically too, but he had already turned away._

"_Look, Zim, I'm sorry!" The look he gave me wasn't angry nor sad. It was just a look. "I know I totally got your hopes up, and crushed them!"_

"_Such is human nature. Humans are indecisive creatures and are bound to never settle." I glared._

"_That's not always true, Zim."_

"_But it's certainly true here, no?" I stiffened, nearly gasping silently for air at the tears that flickered across the ruby eyes before me. "We have business matters, to discuss, Dib. Let's go to the lab."_

_-_

"So while we help Til overcome separation anxiety," I could almost here the strangled joke in Chaos' voice, "and try to plan an ambush against the IGC -not to mention fighting off GR combatants- we also need to get coded?"

I smiled, proudly but sheepishly. "It's best, trust me. I can tell you for a fact that when Zim started the GR, he had everyone who joined printed. It was a code that only he would know, disguised as a symbol. It was in a place where if you saw the tattoo on someone else, you'd never think it was the same tattoo." Chaos and Yu shot me confused stares. "Like depending on where they were coded, the print would shift with the skin. A lot of the times, every code mark looked completely different."

"That sounds great, Dib, but what would be the point of it?" I chuckled.

"Zim used it to keep track of his minions, keeping tabs and knowing every little thing they did. They could also communicate through them, sharing feelings, and stuff like that." Chaos still looked unconvinced. "We could use it to keep in touch and keep track of each other."

"In case of separation?" Yu piped up, curiously. I nodded.

"Exactly. We won't have any missing bodies -dead or alive- and we can get changes in plans to each other immediately."

Chaos was nodding approvingly, but still with a frown on her face. "Okay, but do you know anyone who can do this for us?" I smiled.

"Me, duh."

-

_I slapped my forehead, the dull sound seemed like a never ending echo in the dark silence of our shared house. I had a blanket wrapped around me as a make-shift robe. I knocked on the door just across from the couch I had been sleeping on._

_I could hear the soft footsteps padding to the door and it open just a crack. "Eh? Dib? It's early still, yes?" I nodded but pushed at his door. "Dib, just-" I furiously shook my head, pushing again._

"_Let me in, we need to talk before I kill myself out of guilt and sleep deprivation." Zim looked suddenly alarmed -obviously overreacting- and pulled me roughly inside his room._

"_Is Dib aright? What happened? What did GIR-" I laughed._

"_GIR didn't do anything! It's.. It was all my fault." My laughter faded as Zim turned on a soft lamp. He snuggled back under his covers. "I.. I'm so sorry about the other night. I'm just such a retard sometimes!"_

"_I'd say a lot more than _sometimes_, Dib-thing." I glared at him playfully and he glared back._

"_I mean.. I really like you Zim."_

"_Please, Dib, before you go further," I stiffened again. "Don't use that 'it's not you, it's me' crap on Zim. Even I am better than that." I frowned._

"_That's not what I was gonna say." He nodded approvingly. "I.. I want something more than just friends, Zim. I know that for sure." He nodded again. "But I don't think.. Other than kissing.. I can't do anything else. My mind just.." I couldn't even attempt to finish my half-hearted sentence before I was wrapped in a hug from behind, that candy-sweet breath lingering on my neck._

"_I understand. You are a virgin after all. It will take time." I blushed, looking away, but leaning into his touch. He gently pulled the blanket off me and pulled me back to the headboard "Share a bed with me from now on, Dib." I nodded happily, sleepily._

_I had felt my eyes just slip closed when a question invaded and rested in my mind. "H-hey Zim?"_

"_Yes, Dib-love?" I shivered -happily- that he was calling me that again._

"_If we were to.. Y'know.. Do it.." He nodded into my shoulder patiently. "Who would.." I swallowed thickly. "Bottom?"_

_He hummed as he though, still nuzzling against me. "While it seems that Dib is shy and hesitant, Zim thinks myself would be 'bottom'." I looked at him wildly._

"_Would your pride even allow that?" He laughed, hugging me close._

"_Anything for you. Whatever Dib prefers when that time comes, that is what we'll do." I smiled._

"_You're such a sap." He laughed again._

_-_

"Good god, that was painful!" Chaos snapped at me as I put the printing gun away. I shrugged, looking at each of my comrades, now marked with a special identification code only we knew.

"It was for everyone's good." A silence fell over the room as I packed up, until Til spoke up.

"What about you? Don't you need one?" I stiffened.

"No, no, I'm the leader. But if I die, we have back up."

"Did Zim have one?" Of course Til meant a code.

"His pride never would've let him tarnish his 'perfect' skin." I said quietly, taking my case and trudging to the make-shift lab.


	9. chptr 8: Fr Sr H

"**Til, how're you feeling?" Yu asked delicately. Til snapped out of his trance, looking from the window to the ex-invader.**

"**I'm great!" Nynja sighed sadly behind me.**

"**Til, if you need to talk about anything, please-"**

"**Really, Yu. I'm fine! I'm sure Kon will come back." I could almost see how much Til was side-stepping even the thought of Jacobo. I grumbled angrily and stepped forward.**

"**Til, we're all concerned. You've never in the.. What 6, 7 years I've known you? You have never once been this quiet for so long." Til looked up, his turquoise eyes shining with sadness. He knew exactly what I was saying. He knew exactly what he was doing, but he didn't want to.**

"**I know."**

"**Well then why don't you stop sulking long enough to help us track down the bastards that got Jacobo killed?" His lekku twitched as a devious gleam coated his face. I smiled. "Better?"**

**His face went blank. "I.. I don't want to be a killer." He stood up quickly and stalked past me, past Nynja, and past Chaos. I stared at the now empty window seat.**

"**What the hell was that about?" I asked sharply. Each of the girls shrugged, staring worriedly down the hallway after Til.**

**-**

**I rested me head against the door, the cooling night air sweeping over my bare legs.**

"**Y'know, Dib is starting to get really shaky." Nynja said softly.**

"**It's anxiety. He's human and we get it too. But, since his emotions are conflicting with his mechanics, it's a double whammy." I stifled a groan of anger.**

"**Isn't there any way to fix it?"**

"**We'd need to know why he's tense."**

"**Yu, that's pretty obvious." I snickered inwardly at the silence falling over the girls, signaling that a silence teasing of Yu was going on. "It's Zim and Jacobo and Til and Kon. It's everything!"**

"**I think it's mostly Gala-Zim." I glared at the spot I had pinpointed Nynja was sitting. She still referred to a lot of the Councilors as their formal names. "They were in love and now that Dib is getting so close again, it's affecting him."**

"**Like the bombing," Their was a rustle of nodding heads.**

"**Exactly. None of us were there, but we all know that Dib definitely couldn't have killed Zim, whether or not he had the chance." I ground my teeth, turning away from the door and a sharp hiss. It went unheard as the chattering voices went on, soon fading the farther away I got from the door and the closer got to the couch.**

**-**

"**Dib, why do you think he left?" I looked up to see my remaining team in front of me.**

"**I don't know. But I do know I was never sure of his loyalty." I hinted, strongly.**

"**You think he went to the Gala?!" Til snapped. I nodded.**

"**He was a hybrid, but raised by Irk. You can't deny that none of his evidence was concrete. I caught him staring at the tattoos he had got when he was siding with Zim."**

"**He was young and naïve then! It was before he knew the truth." I shook my head.**

"**It was before he knew both sides to the story." Til raised an eyebrow angrily. "Neither of us are really right or wrong. We're fighting over politics. Zim has done some good on the council and we've done some good as delinquents." I took a sip of the iced tea in front of me, "But Kon never 'saw the light,' or 'knew the truth,' because there is no light or truth. It's just picking sides."**

"**Then why are we doing any of this!"**

"**Because it's living nature. We all want to be right and everyone else to be wrong." Til glared even harder.**

"**Whatever! When did you become such a psychologist!?"**

"**When I go that chip installed into my hard drive." I snapped back cheekily. Til stood over me, his hand clenched In a poised fist. "Go ahead, hit me. It's your hand." He snapped his arm to his side, and looked away, storming off.**

"**Dib!? What n that name of-"**

"**He was being a brat. It's just his nature."**


	10. chptr 9: Fr Sr BMB

_Even though I already knew it, it was even more evident now._

_It was better to be friends -or more- with Zim than enemies._

_I also now knew how nice it was to not sleep on the couch with GIR at my feet, how nice it was to wake up with someone else cuddled against me, and how nice it was to get a wake up kiss._

"_Dib-love.."_

"_Yeah, Zim?" I smiled at him as we ate our breakfast. Our hands were linked at the middle of the table, and I had a bowl of cereal, the spoon poised to dip in the food again. I caught his eye, and I raised my eyebrows. "Are you okay Zim? You seem nervous?"_

"_I am fine, Dib-love," his voice was smooth and reassuring. "I was just wondering if the Dib wanted ... to ... go on a date today..?" I stopped spooning the cereal into my mouth to stare at Zim._

"_You want to…" He nodded, still nervous. "Really?"_

"_Of course. Unless, you don't want to, either way is fine me, Zim." I tapped my chin after setting down my spoon, contemplating. I sensed him get a little edgy by the way his hand gripped mine and the way his eyes darted from me, to GIR, to the wall._

"_Well, there was this new movie that came out, I wanted to see."_

"_Oh really?" He caught onto the game I was playing._

"_Yes, really." I teased back. He smiled._

"_That sounds nice." He pulled back, disconnecting our hands to stretch. "We shall shower, then go?" I nodded. "Then perhaps after the movie, if we are hungry, we can eat!' I nodded with a laugh. "Eh, what is so funny to the Dib?"_

"_You're just adorable," I said, immediately blushing as the words dawned on me. He smiled, grasping my hand as I stood._

"_You too, Dib-love."_

_-_

_I shook as Zim wrapped his arms around me. "Scary enough for you, Dib?" I nodded with a shaky laugh._

"_Only barely." I stood straighter and smiled at Zim. "Hungry?"_

"_Sure." We linked hands again and walked from the theater to the nearby food court in the mall. Zim silently motioned to a few small restaurants until we finally came to a new joint that had just opened up. I cocked my head to one side and stared. Zim stared too, squinting really. "Mc.. Donalds?"_

_I shrugged and stepped forward. He followed, albeit hesitantly, but soon enough we were in line. "Welcome to McDonalds, how may I help you?" I looked at Zim, before looking up at the menu. My eyes widened: everything on the menu looked… Normal! "Um, sirs? May I help you?"_

_Zim spoke first, so I waited. "A. Number.. Dib what does that say? No! That one, near the end."_

"_A number ten?"_

"_Yes! Thank you!" I laughed lightly, and the cashier girl smiled._

"_A number ten, with what to drink?" Zim tapped his chin._

"_Cola?" She nodded, typing it into the register. Her gaze turned to me, and I glanced at the menu again._

"_Uh, a number 1, I guess? With a cola." She nodded again, typing more. I glanced unsurely at Zim and he just waved it off._

"_That'll be $14.50, sirs." I nodded, pulling out my wallet and motioning for Zim to go stand by the pick-up window. I paid the girl and she hollered at the others to hurry up. I laughed as I stood by Zim again._

"_So, Dib-love, after the food, what should we do?" I leaned against him._

"_Home? GIR is probably freaking out by now and I think the lab needs to be cleaned." Zim pouted. "Or we could just save that for tomorrow."_

"_Sounds perfect!" I laughed and punched his shoulder lightly. The food slid through the window with yet another teenage girl working. She flashed a wink at the both of us before hollering for the next order. I picked up the tray while Zim grabbed the napkins and straws before we took our seats in a far off corner where -as fate would have it- even the lights were flickering out._

_We sat across from each other and started eating when another question nestled into my brain. "Hey Zim?"_

"_Yes, love?"_

"_When.. When did you start to.. Like me?"_

"_Oh, a long time ago." I looked at him out of the corner of my eye. "But, romantically, it wasn't until.. Last year, I believe."_

"_What do you mean?"_

"_On the icky, squishy love day-"_

"_Valentine's Day, you mean?'_

"_Whatever! On that day," Zim shot me a look, obviously warning me not to correct him. "You were being fawned over by that Gretchen girl.."_

"_You got jealous?" I said, rather loudly. Zim glared at me, but I just laughed. "You were jealous over Gretchen? God, I have never, nor will ever, like her!" Zim smiled, linking fingers again._

"_Good," he said softly. I could tell he was relieved by the way he stroked my hand. My face heated up, so I distracted myself by eating more French fries._

_-_

"_Ahh," I sighed as we stepped back into our home, Zim close behind me. I looked around. "What, no GIR?" Zim shrugged, unaffected by the absence. "Y'know, I don't like not knowing where he is.."_

"_He'll be fine! Dib, trust me." I smiled and plopped down, next to Zim on the couch. His hand crept around my back, pulling me closer. I leaned against him. "Did Dib have a nice time?" I nodded happily, reaching for his hand._

"_I had a very nice time. You were such a gentleman," Zim laughed, stroking my hair._

_I looked up at Zim, who was digging for the remote to the TV, and smiled. I leaned up, kissing his cheek. He flinched, dropping the remote back into the depths of the end table, and turning to look at me. "Dib?"_

"_I wanted to kiss you, is that okay?" I asked teasingly. He smiled and suddenly I felt our chests brush through the fabric. _

"_It's perfectly fine, love." I opened my mouth to respond but his lips covered mine and I melted into his touch. I scooted closer to him and rested my hands on his shoulders. "Dib-?" I returned the favor of shutting him up with a kiss; I ran my tongue along his lips and his eyes slid shut as his mouth opened._

_He hummed as I dipped my tongue into his mouth. I felt his ridged tongue slide against mine, and I breathed harder, through my nose. He pulled back first, smiling at me devilishly. I stuck my tongue out at him, and he caught it carefully between his teeth, smirking again._

"_Try to keep up, Dib." I gasped as he flipped positions, pinning my back against the couch as he hovered in front of me. I grabbed the collar of his shirt, and pulled him closer, crashing our lips together while his hands rested on my hips tightly. I mewled into his mouth, and I could feel him still smirking against our lips._

_I pulled away, panting, but agitated. "Stop smirking you ass!" He just chuckled, cupping my face with one hand and bringing me closer for another kiss. I wanted to resist, just to spite him, but his breath intoxicated me and fatigue hit me, leaving me to collapse against the couch, trapped by his lips._

_I spoke between kisses, when Zim pulled back to allow me air. "Zim-" His fingers cured in my hair. "Really, is this the-" His legs rested on either side of mine. "Oh god, _Zim_!" I gaped, throwing my head back as he pushed against me. I could see his face as he bit at my neck, still grinding against me._

"_Ah, does the Dib like that?" I gasped weakly, my hands on his hips and pulling him closer. He pulled away, and I blindly tried to reach for him. "Do you think you are ready, Dib-virgin?"_

"_Shut. Up. Zim." I snapped, grabbing his wrists and holding them tightly. He smiled, leaning back again._

"_Then lets go to the bedroom." I stared at Zim, noticing finally that he was very intently waiting for me to agree that this was okay._

"_You are such a sap!" I said, laughing. He hit my arm, but kissed my forehead. I stood, with some help from the alien, and he lead me carefully to the bedroom. I followed obediently, but my mind was racing:_

_**I was about to lose my virginity!**_

To Zim.

_**But I love him!**_

Really?

_**I- Zim!**_

_I was snapped out of my thoughts as Zim practically leapt onto the bed, motioning for me to follow. I crawled carefully over to him, squeaking as he immediately slid my jacket off my shoulders, and tossed it across the room._

"_You think too much, Dib," he whispered huskily in my ear as he tugged off his own pink and black shirt. I stared for barely a second at his soft, defined green chest, before hastily removing my own baggy tee. He laughed quietly, grasping my hands and linking our fingers. "No need to rush, Dib-love, all in good time." I looked at him, a little shocked by his tenderness, but returned the smile._

"_I love you Zim." He switched our positions again, pushing me back against the headboard, and climbing into my lap. I ran one spindly hand along my jawbone, neck, and chest, tweaking the nipples as he went. I gasped, arching against him._

_A twitch ran down my spine as his hand ghosted over the front of my pants, slipping down the zipper and tugging them lower._

"_Grr! Dib, why do you wear such tight pants1" I laughed softly, kissing his slender neck while I fumble with his pants in return._

"_You know you love them-" I was cut off as Zim pushed me back to yank off my pants, again flinging them across the room with a devious grin._

"_I like them better on the floor," I blushed heavily, looking away as my body went numb. "Dib.." I looked back at him, and reach up to his face, tracing the lightly defined cheekbones._

"_Hurry up," I whispered. His lips closed as he concentrating on his own pants, until the frustration caught up to me, and I pushed him back on the bed, hovering over him on my knees, and fingers at his waist._

_I tugged off the leather pants slowly, smirking as he mewled with each inch of flesh I exposed. Finally the pants curled up at his ankles, and I ripped them off, throwing them too. Zim arched as I ran my fingers up his thighs and across his stomach._

"_Do you know.." His breathing increased as I brushed my hand over his pale pink underwear. "how this will work, Dib?"_

_I nodded, swallowing thickly. I grasped the elastic of the underwear and tugged them down quickly, my face increasing in heat as they were finally off. I reached for my own grayish blue boxers, but Zim stopped me. He leaned up, one hand tangling in my hair as we kissed again, and one swatting my hand away. He took the task upon himself and slipped them off with some help from me shifting._

_I shivered as a chill ran through me and all our actions caught up with my thought process. Zim smiled as we faced each other standing on our knees. He cupped my face, his candy-sweet breath coating my lips before our tongues danced in our mouths._

_He pulled away, reaching behind me into the drawer by his bed. He pulled out a small, fuchsia tube and a silvery packet. I blushed._

"_Zim… I don't know.. If I can do this! I mean.. What if I hurt you!? Or I mess it up!? Or I come too soon!?" Zim silenced me with his hand, covering my mouth while giving me a half-exasperated, half-calming glare._

"_Dib, it's fine. We're both virgins here, it's all okay."_

"_Wait! You made fun of me for being a virgin WHEN YOU'RE A VIRGIN TOO!?" He looked away, actually embarrassed for once. I sighed, rolling my eyes and gathering the alien in my arms. He tilted his head to kiss me as I laid him down on the pillows._

_He nodded to the bottle and I picked it up, but was unable to read the more advanced Irken. He smiled._

"_Lube." I blushed, but popped the cap none the less. He laid back, still watching me as I spread the faint, almost clear-with-a-pink-tint liquid over my fingers, lowering them to his backside._

"_Re-ready?" He nodded reassuringly, and spread his legs further. I swallowed, but slowly slid one finger into him. He hissed, but soon it died out. He pressed against me eagerly._

"_More, Dib-love." I nodded shakily, and inserted another finger with the next thrust. Zim arched, one hand clamping onto my shoulder as I scissored the fingers inexpertly. I was about to add another finger, but Zim's soft hand grabbed my wrist. "I need you now, Dib." I nodded slowly, my mind slowing down. I grabbed the silver package, and ripped it open carefully. Zim smiled at my hesitancy, but rubbed my shoulders reassuringly._

_I plucked the condom -of course, a bright pink color- from the packet, and slid it over me. I shivered again at the cold, lubricated feeling. I looking at Zim, one hand on his waist, my other cupping his face._

"_Ready?" I asked again, only slightly more confident this time. He nodded hurriedly, the look on his face describing only one thing:_

_Lust._


	11. chptr 10: Th Fltlnrs

I lifted my eyes to look out to the endless space before us.

"Tak! Wake up and get in gear!" X yelled suddenly. I shot him a glare as our ship rumbled past another planet, but at the same time I stood, stretching, and heading out of my quarters.

I looked around the control room: X fixated on the controls; Crypto relaxing, feet up, at his mechanics post; Si in the corner, silent and steady. Keef spun in his chair, smiling crookedly at me as I entered the room; his burnt face and blackened hair gave the smile an increasingly menacing look.

"Keef, update?"

"The Council has been rather inactive but several rebellions seem to have awakened, including Dib's." His voice was a rough, crackling sound, deep and constantly angry, but still very calm. I nodded, shooting a glare at Crypto.

"Dammit, Crypto! Have you even bothered to check the ship's mechs in the past month?" I snapped; he shrugged, winking an eye at me and returned to relaxing. "Stupid little.." I shook my head furiously, and turned to X.

"Course is normal."

"Then why exactly did I have to wake up, you fu-"

"Pox wanted to talk with you. He's in the lab." I halted in my remark and turned suddenly towards the door. I hurried out of the control room and raced towards the elevator, pressing a button easily labeled "L."

"Pox? You wanted to see me?" I said loudly, entering the bubbling and fizzing noises of the laboratory. There was a small chuckle from the front of the room where his desk was and most of his successful concoctions.

"Yes, it's about the plan. I sense that Dib's ship is close and as active as we are." I nodded slowly. "I keep sensing this imminent feeling of destruction."

"Of us?"

"No, but not exactly against us." I glared outside again. I really hated his psyche powers sometimes. "I think that Dib's ship is, of course, trying to take out the ICG, but with a different strategy than us."

"Well of course! They want to make everything right again! We want the-" Pox was shaking his head as I spoke, so I quickly quieted myself.

"Dib is overly affected by the imminent closeness of Zim. Their plan, whatever it turns out to be, will most likely fail, to the benefit of no one." I rubbed my temples. "I know this is confusing, but it's a need-to-know type of thing."

"I understand that, Pox, I just wish it wasn't." I growled, not at Pox, but at the fact that we would have to face Dib's team again.

Meeting up sporadically throughout the years wasn't exactly the most enjoyable thing, especially since I think he still blamed me for Zim's betrayal.

When it was Zim who had contacted me first about the betrayal plan and the enslavement.

I couldn't get Dib to understand that I was the follower.

But in any case, I didn't care that he was being a hopeless, stubborn prick. I just wanted to kick his ass, and Zim's.

But mostly Zim's.

I sighed suddenly, rising up out of my inner monologue to nod at Pox. "Right, I'll keep it in mind for future planning." He "hmm'ed" in agreement, motioning to the door that I was free to leave. I smiled and walked carefully in my large boots back to the elevator and was whisked back to the control room.

Keef smiled in greeting at me again as I entered and I felt my face almost heat up.

Almost.

I sat next to him as usual and his hand leaped up to graze my shoulder comfortingly. I smirked, leaning down to peck him on the lips as the other crew members were faced pointedly away.

"Where are we heading next, Tak?" I tapped my chin but Crypto interrupted my non-existent answer.

"Are we going somewhere I can kill someone?" I shot him a wide-eyed glare as I scoffed. Keef laughed, rubbing my shoulder again.

"No. We're heading towards the IGC." Crypto distinctly groaned and Keef flipped him off on reflex.

"Like every other rebellion in the galaxy?" I ignored Crypto's provoking, but answered his question calmly.

"Yes. And if we run into them along the way, more slaughter for us."

This made Crypto cackle.

* * *

**A/N: I know it's a short update, but this is all I have. My plot notebook is at my other house, and I keep forgetting it there. I didn't even know I had this chapter finished 0.0 I found it buried in my hard drive, so enjoy!**


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